Racing toy



Feb.`,2s, 192s.

1,660,715 F. O. LINGENFELDER RACING TOY Filed Dec. l1. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l Zf met atkofrfmq J .units spaced apart.

spirit thereof.

Patented 4Feb. 2 8, 1928.

UNITEDy STATES Application ma member 11, im. smal n. 154,114.

This invention relates to an amusement device which is bothentertainingA and `1nstructive as it cultivates the iudgement, trainsthe eye and hand and enables one to enioy moments of relaxation.

, he invention provides in effect a toy embodying a Speedway,electrically propelled cars thereon, means for varying the currentsupplied to the cars to drive them fast or slow as desired, and switchmeans for diverting the cars from one track or course to another to addto the interest and pleasure.

The linvention contemplates a Speedway embodying a plurality of coursesdisposed in parallel relation and including straightaway portions andreturn portions, the latter being foldable to reduce the length of thedevice' and serving to connect the straightaway portions, which, forlightness, are separate While the dra/wings illustrate` a preferredembodiment ofv the invention, it is to understood that in adapting themeans-cto meet speciic needs and requirements the design may be vvariedand such other changes in the minor details of constructionmay beresorted to within the scope ofthe invention as claimed, withoutdeparting from the For a full understanding of the invention and themerits thereof reference is to be had lto the following descriptionandthe drawings hereto attached, in which,-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a race toy embodying the invention, thedotted lines indicating anA adjusted position of the switches and one ofthe cars diverted from one course or track topanother. i

Figure 2 is an `edge view, the dottedlines showinr the return lportionsof thespeed- Way folded. f f

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view'on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure1.

Figure 5 isa detail sectional view of the means for mounting andoperating the switches.

Figure is a sectional view of a resistance PA'ri-:NroFl-iCi-i. f

change its speed.

Figure 7 is a side view of a racing car,

Figure 8 is a view of the'ncar as 'seen from the bottomA side.

Qorresponding and like parts are referred to 1n the followingdescription`and designated in the several views of the drawings by likereference characters.

`The speedway usually consists of a board and may be a flat body of anydeterminate. material and comprises a middle straightaway portion andreturn ends, the latter bein g referably hingedly connected to the inidd e portion to fold thereunder, as indicated bythe dotted lines inFigure 2, thereby to admit of the length being materially reduced forhandling and storing.l In the preferable construction the middle portionof the Speedway comprises similar sections or parts 10 which aretransversely spaced. The return end portions 11 are 'hingedly connectedto the middle portions 10, as indicated most clearly at 12 in Figure 2.lThe return portions 11 are of4 semicircular outline and are adapted tofold against the lower side of the middle portion, as indicated by thedotted lines in Figure 2. A plurality of courses, or tracks 13,l 14 and15 are provided upon the top side'of the speedway and are parallel andseparated by guards 16 which usually consist of ribs or strips, whichmay forma part of the body or attached thereto in any determinate way.Outer guards 17 prevent the cars from leaving the metal strips 18 visprovided for each course plying vthe electric current tothe motors of ofthe strips 18, their longitudinal edge portions are bent at a rightangle,`as indicatedl at 19, and are fitted in grooves formed in theSpeedway. The marginalfilanges 19 also serve as retaining means forsecuring the conducting strips to the bod of the speedway since they arepresse into groovesv formed therein, as indicated inost clearl in Figure4e The middle portion vof eac course or track is formed with a groovespeedway.v A pair of yor track and constitutes conductors for supins maybev manipulated to vary the current supply to each of the cars asrequired.

The guard 16 separat-ing adjacent courses h or tracks has a section 24pivoted at one end and movable laterally to divert a car from one trackto another, whereby to intensi the interestv in the operation ofthe toy.By regulating thel supply of current to a car it may be speeded so as topass another car inv the race and by deftly manipulating the switch thecar may be diverted from one `track to the track containing the carwhich `has been passed so as to lead said car. The

operator of the trailing car mayswitch it to another track and increasethe speed by augmenting the current supplied theretoso as to pass theleading car under favorable' conditions. It will vthus be understoodlthat the arrangement is such as to admit of one car in the race passinganother and being diverted to the same track containing the car whichhas been passed. An advantage results from occupying the innermostcourse or track because it is the shortest, the several tracksincreasing in length towards the outside, as will be readilyappreciated. The switches 24 may be thrown inwardly or outwardly, asindicated bythe dotted lines in Figure 1. land may be mounted in anypreferred way and operated by any determinate mechanis As shown mostclearly in Figures 4 and 5, a post 25 is mounted vertically in the bodyof the speed-way and the switch 24 is secured at one end to the upperend of the post, `so asl to turn therewith. An arm 26 fast to the lowerend of the post 25 is connected by means .of a link 27 to a lever 28mounted at one side of the speedway. The bottom', side of the body isrecessed to receive the arm 26 and link 27, as shown most clearly inFigure 4. so that the de- `vice may rest upon a table or analogoussupport. The switches 24 are differently positioned to avoidinterference. as indicated most clearly in Figure 1, and this admits ofthe lever 28 being correspondingly positioned for convenience ofoperation without interference.

The cars` 29 may be of any design and eachis supplied with an electricmotor in a manner common in electrically operated toys. The current issupplied to the motor through y the hood of the car.

the wheels 30 and, as shown most clearl in Figure 4, the axle comprisessections w ich are electrically insulated, as indicated at 38, thecurrent entering through one of the wheels and being grounded throughthe other wheel, one of the conducting stri s or rails 18 supplying thecurrent and t e companion conducting strip or rail grounding the sameina manner well understood in electric train toys. The racing car iseither of cast iron or pressed steel with iron wheels 30 made torepresent automobile tires on disc wheels. The electric current entersthrough the wheels en one side, at 32, which ave iron axles and ironbushings, and passes through a motor 33, of approximately one threehundredth horse power, located under The motor 33 drives the rear wheelsthrough a shaft 34 and fibre ring gear 35 which also serves to separatethe two rear axles 36. The current passes through the opposite side ofthe car, at 37, where ibre bushings are provided for insulation. Thefront axles are electrically separated by a fibre coupling 38.

The resistance 22 is built either in one unit or combined so as teresemble three miniature automobile transmissions with gear shiftinglevers 23. one for each track. The lever 23 is located. in the center ofeach resistance to operate as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 6.Any number of lead wires may be employed for supplying current from theresistance to the tracks. The Speedway may comprise any desired numberof tracks. or courses. and the guards separating the tracks have theportions 24 pivoted and adapted to be separately operated from a side ofthe Speedway by the levers 28 for diverting the racing cars 29 from onetrack to the other. The Speedway may be lengthened and shortened. hencethe intermediate straightawav portion may comprise sections which may beadded or removed as desired. the sections being retained in place by thehinges 12 or other suitable fastening means.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A Speedway comprising a fiat body provided with a plurality ofparalleling courses or tracks which are separated by means of guards,and having a portion of the separating guard pivoted to provide a switchand means for operating the switch to divert a car from one'track toanother.

2. A speedw'ay provided in its top side with pairs of narrow grooves andan intermediate wide groove. conducting strips or rails having marginaledge portions bent to provide fianges which are pressed into the narrowgrooves of the body and a retaining strip pressed into the wide groove.

3. A Speedway provided with a plurality of courses or tracks, guardsseparating the lli tracks, each of the guards havng a pvoted sectionforming a switch, a post mounted A in the Speedway and having the switchfast at one end thereto, an arm proecting from the lower end of thepost, a ever at one side of the Speedway and a link-connecting the'lever with the said arm, whereby the switch may be operated.

4, A Speedway for a racing to coniprsing a plurality of tracks separa byguard rails and having a portion of the several guard rails pvoted todivert the cars from one track to the other.

In Vtestimony whereof I ax my asignature.

FRED. O. LINGENFELDER. [1.; 5.]

